Seventeen Loads of Washing... I'm not am I?

[RedRainRocks]

AIBU in the slightest? Seventeen (spelt out so you're sure it's not a typo). 17 loads of washing this week I have done and put away. (As well as working 72+ hours) I accept I am a little bit OCD about the sheets and towels being on a hot wash alone and that only white things go in the white wash but I do not understand how this household can make so much damn washing!?!!! These are all full loads.

AIBU to ask how many loads you do on an average week, if towels and bedding are done at least once a week and if 22 flannels are an average weeks usage in your household?? I probably am but please ...tell me they are not going to put "now we have no clean clothes to wear" on my gravestone?

There has to be an easier way than this... Surely?

Well apart from the telling off for being lighthearted (how dare I?) about a clinically diagnosed condition which whilst relevant wasn't/isn't the sum total of the washing conundrum, I have to say, thank you for some really handy tips!! Personal laundry baskets in rooms is genius; and I'm enjoying the debate about flannels..

Pyjamas and hoodies seem to account for a larger than average percentage so I think they may get hung behind doors - rather than washed. Re-education needed there I think.

As for the time - one before I leave for work and one when I get in, sometimes two of the laundry basket is overflowing and I've done delicates on a quick wash; then I can put one on before I go to bed too! Weekends - I can have three done before 9:30am so it's entirely possible :)

5 of us

I'd say I do atleast ten washes a week

One each day and then five or so over weekend with bedding, dcs coats etc

17 loads is bonkers. I can understand the not sharing towels rule, but they really don't need to be washed after every use. Top tip - which my dsis gave me when camping (useful in RL too) - give yourself a quick dry off with a flannel (or 2) and then the towel will hardly be wet and all the yucky skin flakes etc will be on the flannel which can go straight in the wash!
Max 4 or 5 loads per week here 2 adults, 2 DCs 12 and 15, including footie kit and running gear.
Life is too short.

I cant really compare without knowing the size of your drum? We're about 10 loads a week with a 8kg drum. If it was small it would work out more.

When my daughter was here - now at university - about a couple of loads a week. Now it might just be one load. (Husband now retired, so not a new work shirt every day.) I might hand wash a few delicate items each week too. Everything goes in the machine together.

Towels and bedding just get done when they seem to have been around too long - not once a week. Apart from underwear, we'll wear most items of clothing a second or third time. Both Spouse and I mainly wear cotton stuff - which seems to stay fresher than synthetic fibres. I also tend to wear a lot of dark clothes, which I suppose don't show minor spots so much.

We're quite clean, but in a laidback sort of way.

I can't believe people actually count how many washes they do a week.

Gosh madness from a lot of posters! what a waste of water and energy. Why does anyone need a fresh towel every day unless you're not washing yourself properly?

We do 4 a week (2 adults 2 teens); one dark which includes swimming gear, one light, one bedding, one dc1 who does their own. Towels, tea towels and bath mats get chucked in whenever there's space.

The flannel thing I deal with, DP uses a flannel after brushing his teeth (much easier than a towel) I'd rather wash 14 flannels than have toothpaste on towels...

My DM had my brother live with her until very recently... Oh my goodness not only was he a dirt magnet he was also a one wear it was done, one use of a towel it must be done. He could not get the idea that if it was put on a rail it could be reused by him and him alone. His clothes were either filthy and in the basket or clean and in the basket.

So he would put work clothes on, come home get changed everything went into the basket.. At night everything went into the basket - After one wash the towel would go into the basket. His sheets strangely only washed when he took them downstairs, or in my mothers words "they walked downstairs" go figure!

My mum now does two loads a week. The machine never stopped when he was at home :) so some re training sounds like it might be required. He has now been retrained by his GF I believe :)

I do 2-3 a day but I have a child with a severe disability (and I do think I have got a bit ocd about it too as it quickly gets out of control if not kept on top of

I came on to say it's ridiculous, but if you're only half filling a 9kg machine (who cares if it takes 3 hours if it's on overnight?!) then I can see how that would happen.

We are a family of 5 (me, DH, and DCs are 7, 5 and 2) and I do about 8 a week, but we are not changing bedding weekly or towels daily, and I have a 9kg machine which is probably 2/3 full for each load.

Depends on the size of your machine too.

Family of four here, I do a load most days, but not always.
Could you cut up the flannels into 4 or half them? I used to find that there was too much facecloth to child's face ratio lol. And defo, give or get everyone their own towels and encourage them to hang them up after showering, they should be washing the dirt off, it's just for drying, And jeans, jumpers, hoodies, don't need washing after every wear, unless they are stained. I occasionally use those colour catcher sheets, and can mix a load of colours and lights - rebel me, but they work. Get your kids to hang towels and clothes up rather than dump them in the washing basket. Good luck freeing yourself from the laundry. No-one will ever look back and say... wish I'd washed more.

17

I have stripped all of the beds this weekend so that was 2 loads, shirts went in with the laundry and so did the towels. Then I probably did 3 loads during the week for a family of four.

I have a small capacity washer/dryer, and a heavy cotton duvet cover (IKEA, so not posh, but...). It takes two loads just to do our bedding. (Duvet cover by itself, pillowcase + sheets + any random dishcloths hanging around) do I can imagine how it stacks up...

I wash most of our clothes on an 18 minute cycle.

We have a 7kg machine and four adults, a 9 year old and a Labrador.

7 dark loads
2 white loads
3 towel loads (we swim lots)
2 bedding loads
1 dog load (I change his bed every week but store and wash his bedding every 4 weeks after which I clean the machine and run it through at 90)

So 15 loads a week! I'm on the 4th load so far today.

Maybe 6? my clothes, DH's clothes, dog stuff, whites, bedding and towels.

I probably do 17-20 loads. It's only 2-3 loads per day. 4 people, everyone doing multiple sports. I never have any dirty washing lying around and I never do any ironing. I also have a tumble dryer so those loads aren't a hardship, takes under a minute to load both machines.

I do about 14 loads a week. There are 8 of us here though, 2 who are babies so get dirty a lot. I do have a big washing machine though (but no tumble dryer! )

Two adults and 2 dc here aged 5 and 13, and a mangy old cat.

I was shocked at 17 washes a week and realised mine is probably similar ( or more )
Uniforms every night, bedding every day for someone, towels every 2 days, pe kit twice a week, pet blankets twice a week, swimming stuff twice a week, work uniform 2/3 times a week, it really adds up :(
That's without normal day to day clothes. I go through a lot of washing powder, have got washing on line today and as much as possible though I do have a dryer.

I have 10-12 loads a week

Drives me nuts!

Two loads of towels (we have massive heavy ones, should buy cheapy thin ones. 4 towels and two bath mats = 2 loads)

Two loads of sheets (can't fit sheeys for all 4 of us in one loaf) also tea towels/handtowels chucked in

And clothes... We do too many sports and muddy walks/runs, in winter it is worse (mud mud mud)

I often hang back things like DC hoodies if they get chucked in the basket.

But it is a bloody never ending job!

Also often have guests, which means another 2-4 persons bedding/towels....